GLADLY GIVEN
Frequently asked questions.
Everything sponsors and neighbors usually ask us — before, during, and after a drop.
For sponsors
What exactly am I sponsoring?
A run of free product — currently water bottles — that Gladly Given distributes locally, whether that's through an event or through local distributor partners. Your logo goes on the label alongside a small group of other sponsors, and the product itself stays free for whoever receives it.
How much does a label slot cost?
Founding sponsors are $750 for a spot on a run of 1,512 bottles, split with a small group of other local businesses. If you'd rather have the label to yourself, you're welcome to cover the whole run — just mention it when you reach out and we'll work out the number.
How many other businesses share one drop?
We keep the sponsor list small on purpose, so every label stays visible and no logo gets lost in a crowd of them. That number is about physical space, not bottle count: it's set by how many logos can actually fit on the label design at a readable size — a small label might only fit 2 or 3 sponsors, a larger one more. Order 10,000 bottles or 1,000, the count per label stays the same either way — unless you cover the whole label yourself, in which case it's just you.
Does my sponsorship have to be tied to a specific event?
No. Distribution can start as soon as sponsors are on board, moving through our local distributor partners — no event has to exist first. That said, you do have options if you want more say in where your logo shows up: request or suggest a specific event, or request a specific distributor location. If that location is brand new to us, you're simply first in line once it's set up. If it's already running with another sponsor, you're added to a rotating waitlist, so sponsors take turns there over time instead of one business holding it indefinitely.
What do you need from me to get started?
Just your logo file and a few details about your business. Send an inquiry through the sponsor form and we'll handle the rest, from label design to getting product where it needs to go.
General
What is Gladly Given?
A Wilmington, NC company that hands out free, useful products — water bottles are a constant, with more products joining seasonally — funded by local businesses who sponsor the label instead of a traditional ad.
Why start with water bottles?
Water's about as basic a human necessity as there is — everyone needs it, year-round, not just on hot days. We believe something that essential shouldn't come with a price tag if we can help it, which is the whole idea behind Gladly Given: give away what people actually need, whenever they need it.
How do you decide what to give away each season?
Water stays a constant, since it's something everyone needs regardless of season. Alongside that, we rotate in other seasonally relevant items as we grow into new drops throughout the year.
Is this only happening in Wilmington?
For now, yes. We're focused on doing this well in Wilmington and the surrounding coast before we think about anywhere else.
I run a business and want to be a hand-out location, not just a sponsor — is that different?
It is. Sponsoring means your logo is on the product. Being a distribution partner means product is physically handed out at or from your location. You can do either or both — see the distributors page for details.
How do I get involved?
If you want to sponsor a label, start on the homepage sponsor form. If you want to distribute product, visit the distributors page. Either way, we'll follow up personally.